The cumulative box office revenue of Europe's movie theaters reached $2.54 billion from January to September, reflecting a 28.2% rise from the same period in 2021.

September saw 194 film releases, an improvement over August's 172 and September 2021's 115, according to figures from OpusData compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The year-over-year increase is the lowest in the past six months. The region's box office revenue surged 209.7% year over year from January to March.

While the U.K. remained the biggest earner in the region with $812.8 million year-to-date, France joined Russia in booking negative year-over-year changes in revenues, although it is second only to the U.K. in terms of earnings figures.

France's theaters collected $309.7 million in the first three quarters of 2022, sliding 6.3% from the same period last year. The tracked market may face even bigger losses after Walt Disney Co. warned that its future films might go straight to its Disney+ streaming platform if France does not relax film distribution rules, according to The Guardian (London).

"Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," produced by Disney-owned Marvel Studios LLC, earned $29.4 million in France year-to-date, the second biggest in the market. Paramount Pictures Corp.-distributed "Top Gun: Maverick" bagged the biggest revenue at $58.6 million.

* Check out Europe's box office revenues in the first eight months of 2022. * See film earnings for KBOX Week 42.

Meanwhile, Russia's film revenue sank 38% year over year to $307.4 million, the third largest in the region from January to September. Sci-fi film "Avatar," distributed by 20th Century Studios Inc., has climbed up the market's box office, earning $62.9 million.

The 2009 release also topped Italy's box office with $67.4 million, bringing Italy below Russia in terms of cumulative box office revenue.